If you or a loved one have ever experienced an addiction, you surely know and perhaps have experienced the total feeling of helplessness that accompanies the fits of anxiety in anticipation of a forthcoming event.

After ill-advisably viewing this evening a replay of last year’s championship game, I must admit a double-shot of Crown Royal on the rocks has in no way settled my nerves that I might retire for the evening.

Looking back, I can still remember the 1959 draft when each AFL team had "territorial rights" to players from its general region for a first draft selection, so that teams could sign players who were known to their fans. These were not "picked" as such, but agreed on by consensus. The first territorial or "bonus" pick for the Patriots was Gerhard Schwedes out of Syracuse.

In the regular draft that followed, the Patriots first pick was All American running back Ron Burton who played under Ara Parseghian’s Northwestern Wildcats.

And who can forget, those stalwart members of the inaugural team, Butch Songin, Dick Cristy, Larry Garron, Jimmy Colclough, Gino Cappellatti, Walt Cudzick, Ross O’Hanley, Bob Dee, Jim Hunt, Oscar Lofton, and Billy Wells. Their record may only have been 5-9 and their 286 points placed them 8th of 8 teams in the AFL, but they were still ‘my’ team.

And thus it began, that seemingly everlasting love affair with the Patriots.

So hear I sit, 53 years later, in my twilight years, finally recognizing and accepting that I am hooked. So before I have one last shot of Crown on the rocks before bed, let me just say, to the guys on Sunday, make us proud.

Lets also be thankful - there are some who suffer a greater addiction, a great affliction. Jets fans have little good to remember. Really just one moment. And that was more memorable not for its greatness but for its improbablity.

Almost every game we see a seasons worth of Jet highlights (the good stuff). Almost every season since BB & TB we see a lifetime of Jets highlights (the good stuff).

Gratned, we dont get the laughs that the Jets generate. But those we actually share in more fully than Jets fans. For them those frequent moments are what they are tyring to forget.

I became a fan back in the Jim Nance days. And now we reach the penacle of Pats history. A special shout out to Kraft, BB and Brady for the good times we currently enjoy! Embellish yourselves ladies and gentleman. These are truly the great years of Pat football.

How bout a thanks to a couple guys named Belichick and Brady.....Oh and I dont think any of this was possible without an owner named Kraft...

Thats why Old Pats Fans dont worry so much about who we are playing in the Play-offs, if we could can get an easy road to the Superbowl. We've been playing with house money since 01.

I will return to completre my earlier post (which will eventually get to the BB years). But one word about the times of futility: while there were some truly horrible years that you refer to, I think 1970 may have been THE low mark in Patriots history. Joe Kapp at QB (tough but could never throw; more of a linebacker thatn QB, not even a very good runner.. and in all this he was getting old too!!!!), a joke for a team in most positions and a real joke of a front office and coaching staff...

How bout a thanks to a couple guys named Belichick and Brady.....Oh and I dont think any of this was possible without an owner named Kraft...

Thats why Old Pats Fans dont worry so much about who we are playing in the Play-offs, if we could can get an easy road to the Superbowl. We've been playing with house money since 01.

+1

Still have the nightmare memories of the late eighties early nineties pat's. Bad ownership, bad coaching, bad players... just plain old bad.

There were many times that it was hard to say I was a Pats fan in the 70's and 80's. I perservered and was rewarded handsomely. Although I cannot claim an allegiance like dustcover, I can claim 43 years. Go Pats, 48 hours and counting.

How bout a thanks to a couple guys named Belichick and Brady.....Oh and I dont think any of this was possible without an owner named Kraft...

Thats why Old Pats Fans dont worry so much about who we are playing in the Play-offs, if we could can get an easy road to the Superbowl. We've been playing with house money since 01.

+1

Still have the nightmare memories of the late eighties early nineties pat's. Bad ownership, bad coaching, bad players... just plain old bad.

Me too. My first year as a Pats season ticket holder they were 1-15 in 1990 and the only game they won was on the road in Indy. If you can believe it Dick Mcpearson's previous year turning out a 5-11 season excited me and my friends.

They were so bad when we bought the tickets they let us walk inside the stadium and pick out our seats. The gate to get inside the stadium was open and there was no security. We randomly picked 6 seats we liked 4 rows from the field and of course they were available.

I kept the tickets for 18 years and gave them up last year. In the Pete Carol years my friends wanted out and I kept all 6 tix, but it eventually just became too difficult to unload the tickets for even what I paid without headaches. You sell them to someone for face value and they get kicked out of the game. Anyway, I never would have imagined they could be 1/10th of what they are today and I will always be addicted.

How bout a thanks to a couple guys named Belichick and Brady.....Oh and I dont think any of this was possible without an owner named Kraft...

Thats why Old Pats Fans dont worry so much about who we are playing in the Play-offs, if we could can get an easy road to the Superbowl. We've been playing with house money since 01.

+1

Still have the nightmare memories of the late eighties early nineties pat's. Bad ownership, bad coaching, bad players... just plain old bad.

There were many times that it was hard to say I was a Pats fan in the 70's and 80's. I perservered and was rewarded handsomely. Although I cannot claim an allegiance like dustcover, I can claim 43 years. Go Pats, 48 hours and counting.

You know I have a hard time saying all the 70's were bad. Some of my favorite pat's played in that era 70's era into the early 80's. My favorite all time Patriot Hannah and guys like morgan, Cunningham, fox , haynes,adams, brock, nelson, king, hunt just to name a few.

I really loved that 77 team it was my all time favorite team. I guess because I was a teenager at the time that team left a big impression on me.

Yes, that was a good year. I was graduating from high school, and since I had been a fan, that was the first time I started thinking they would get to the SB. Damn the Raiders(or was that '76 and the Sugar Bear Hamilton phantom call?)! I think we started out 6-0 a couple of years earlier and lost the last six. Also OJ Simpson logged over 500 yards against us the year he made the rushing record.

Ok, I thought I was an older fan. Alas, I am but a pup! I was a teenager for the 85 SB, andmoved away in 86 (to the midwest) Suffered through the 90's supporting the Patsies! But now I can't count how many people here in STL hate me for being a diehard Pats fan!!!! I love it. It seens nobody outside the New England area has any liking or respect for the Pats, and I don't care. Everyone hates a winner! I'll enjoy this ride as long as it goes. Thanks for your comraderie,, fellow Pats fans. These truely are the Golden Years!!KMc.

Ok, I thought I was an older fan. Alas, I am but a pup! I was a teenager for the 85 SB, andmoved away in 86 (to the midwest) Suffered through the 90's supporting the Patsies! But now I can't count how many people here in STL hate me for being a diehard Pats fan!!!! I love it. It seens nobody outside the New England area has any liking or respect for the Pats, and I don't care. Everyone hates a winner! I'll enjoy this ride as long as it goes. Thanks for your comraderie,, fellow Pats fans. These truely are the Golden Years!!KMc.

I assure you there is a loyal following out here in Northern California! Go Pats!

Hey dustcover.... Addiction is a strong word. It might be about something different than that ...

The other day I played the tape of the 1st city square celebration. Estimated 2 million of "us" were in downtown Boston in February 2002 to hear belichick say to his team " congratulations, champions", and kraft say "we're all champions" and hear troy brown say to the fans... " and I love you".

That is what describes it better for me. I (we) love these guys right back for putting it out there on the field and making us proud to be fans of this team, while at the same time representing football as life... ( love, triumph, adversity, etc.)

Now that's deep. Anybody else feeling that while stressing about the unknown possibilities in Sundays game...? (BTW pats win 31-10... I think). get it done guys!

I also hit the beverages a bit hard while dealing with the "stress". Vodka - kazis mainly. (Having the pieces in place on defense makes it a lot better now, though...you know?)

Hey dustcover.... Addiction is a strong word. It might be about something different than that ...

The other day I played the tape of the 1st city square celebration. Estimated 2 million of "us" were in downtown Boston in February 2002 to hear belichick say to his team " congratulations, champions", and kraft say "we're all champions" and hear troy brown say to the fans... " and I love you".

That is what describes it better for me. I (we) love these guys right back for putting it out there on the field and making us proud to be fans of this team, while at the same time representing football as life... ( love, triumph, adversity, etc.)

Now that's deep. Anybody else feeling that while stressing about the unknown possibilities in Sundays game...? (BTW pats win 31-10... I think). get it done guys!

I also hit the beverages a bit hard while dealing with the "stress". Vodka - kazis mainly. (Having the pieces in place on defense makes it a lot better now, though...you know?)

Hey dustcover.... Addiction is a strong word. It might be about something different than that ...

I also hit the beverages a bit hard while dealing with the "stress". Vodka - kazis mainly.

Thanks for your concern; however, I think to occupy (oneself) with or involve (oneself) in something habitually or compulsively pretty much defines addiction. But I think you get the gist of what I was expressing.

Also, just to put your mind at ease, I may indeed become anxious the week prior to a big game, but I can assure you that at my age there is very little if anything that evokes any manner of stress in my daily life.

And come to think about it, after following the ups and downs of the Sox since the days of Birdie Tebbetts, Rudy York, Eddie Pellagrini, along with Williams, Doerr, Pesky, and DiMaggio, and all the squads that followed, (God bless them all) it is no wonder that the mundane events of daily living become trivial and not worthy of stressing over.

So I have my evening nip, thank the good Lord for another beautiful day, and sleep like a log.